My favorite metal supplier has one employee out, so smaller orders like mine are secondary in the queue, and it's now going on two weeks waiting for metal. Kinda puts a crimp in my 'just in time' approach to procurement. I'd switch to another supplier, but they sell in 20 foot lengths, or charge a fee per cut for a shorter piece. I can't manage -much less- transport 20' pieces, and most of my items are small 12-36 inches and numerous. Not worth it yet.
I need the metal for the Mikado boiler to mount the smokebox, and for the metal bands which will hold the jacketing to the boiler shell. Oh-and the rear boiler mount.
My other metal order is for the Freight Elevator. That's not as time critical since I am waiting on the bearings to arrive and for me to flame cut some pieces out of an old piece of plate. If I can get my cutting torch to run correctly, get some daylight and good weather I can take care of this item. I could probably stand the cold weather, but I can't have much of a breeze since I'm working outside.
For the elevator, I've got most of the nuts and bolts in, and the four 1-1/8 5 threads-per-inch screws have arrived. We can start some machine work on those. On second thought, better not until the bearings arrive so we can size the shafts correctly.
That about brings me to where I started: Waiting. Or a 'Standabout', a term I learned while volunteering with the 1522 big train group. If we were waiting for some supply item, part or the crew chief to tell us what's next, we'd all be "standing about", doing nothing.
At the beach- chilly 63 degrees with a 20 mph wind- BUT... we were shovelling sand not snow!
Scenes from Florida 2010. Jake and Ben at Cape Canaveral.
